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Hello, My Name Is Paul Smith is an exhibition that communicates the story of how a small, quintessentially English label became one of the world’s leading fashion brands. Drawn from Paul Smith’s personal archive the display will inhabit the first floor of the Design Museum, London, from 15 November 2013 to 9 March 2014.

Curated by Donna Loveday, the exhibition explores how Smith’s intuitive take on design, approach to originality and understanding of the importance of retail and branding has ensured the company’s lasting success. In particular, there’s an emphasis on sources of inspiration, and how Smith captures his creativity. Unlike the Design Museum’s last Paul Smith exhibition in 1996 (Paul Smith: True Brit), Hello, My Name Is Paul Smith is not a retrospective of the designer’s past collections. The latest exhibition focuses less on material culture, and the designer’s skill as a tailor is underplayed. Instead this presentation is a collation of Paul Smith’s influence in design, which extends beyond the confines of clothing design. (more…)